I practiced magic in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 171: Thin Dog Benchu, You Can’t Do It

Chen Ze was unhappy with his reputation as the "ghost monkey": "Can't you give him a better name?"

He was seen wearing cowhide armor and holding a longbow. He was able to move flexibly through the complex mountain forests as if he were walking on flat ground. He would occasionally raise his hand to shoot an arrow, and every time the bowstring vibrated, an enemy would fall to the ground.

However, he was dark and thin, so he was nicknamed "ghost monkey". He was very depressed when he knew the nickname, and felt that the nickname was not impressive at all.

Equally angry was the target that Chen Ze was hunting. Wei Bin was being chased so hard that he was indignant: "They are chasing me relentlessly. This is simply too much. I will fight them!"

Wei Bin knew that if he continued to run like this, it would be like cutting his flesh with a slow knife and he would eventually die.

Instead of waiting to die, it is better to fight hard and get a chance of survival!
In a rage, Wei Bin angrily drew out the jade-inlaid heirloom sword from his waist and led his private soldiers in a desperate battle with the palace soldiers who were chasing him.

"Whoever wants my life, come and take it if you can!"

However, the only response he got was three hidden arrows flying at him.

Phew~ Phew~
In the dense forest, hidden arrows attacked people in a triangular shape and shot towards Webbin. The archery technique was extremely tricky. There were three arrows, two bright and one dark. The first arrow was in front, and the second and third arrows were shot at the same time, but only made a sound.

Webin was caught off guard and only swung his sword to block the first and second arrows, but the third arrow pierced his abdomen. Blood gushed out immediately and he was shot to the ground, struggling and wailing.

Although Webbin's men were numerous, they had no intention of fighting. After seeing Webbin fall to the ground, they fled in all directions, running very fast like dogs that had lost their homes.

After a while, Chen Ze and a small group of people rushed out from the dense branches and leaves.

A soldier beside him took a look at Webbin lying on the ground and shouted in surprise: "Captain, we caught a big fish!"

Chen Ze was overjoyed when he heard this. He stepped forward and recognized Wei Bin's face: "It is you, the evil villain!"

"Webin, I never thought you would end up like this!"

The people surrounding Chen Ze were all hunters. They usually took the prey they caught to the city to sell, but were often exploited by the local tyrant Wei Bin. Therefore, they all hated him to the core.

Webin was shot in the liver, which was a vital part of his body. The pain made him sweat on his forehead. He struggled hard and begged for mercy: "Let me go. I have money. I can give you a lot of money."

"Bah, who wants your filthy money!"

These hunters who had already become naturalized soldiers of the palace all scoffed at Webbin's promise.

Chen Ze stood out from the crowd and looked coldly at Wei Bin lying on the ground: "Do you still remember me?"

"you are?"

Wei Bin stared at Chen Ze's face for a long time, but he couldn't remember his identity.

Chen Ze's face was filled with hatred. "It seems that you are indeed a forgetful person. Ten years ago, my father finally hunted a tiger and brought the skin to the city to sell, but you forced him to buy it. He refused to agree at the time, but you hired someone to break his legs. Not long after returning home, he vomited blood and died."

As they listened, the people around them all expressed the same anger and hatred.

No matter how prosperous the Wei family is in Mianchi County, there are many people who are brutally oppressed and exploited behind the scenes. The wealth and well-being of the Wei family are built with the flesh and blood of countless little people!
The more Wei Bin listened, the more his body shook. He knew that he was finished and even closed his eyes, waiting to die.

However, Chen Ze did not kill him: "I actually wanted to kill you with a knife, but the general once said that people should not violate the law and discipline because of personal anger. Even if I want to kill you, I have to wait until the public trial, and punish you according to the law of the country!"

"That's right, take him to public trial!"

Everyone worked together to tie up Wei Bin tightly and then took him towards the county town.

Two hours later, at Mianchi County Government Office.

Zhou Tai ran over with a smile and reported: "My lord, Wei Bin has been captured."

Wang Jing remained seated, holding a newly printed copy of the "Wu Jing" in his hand, and asked casually, "Where is Zhu Shao?"

"He has died in the chaos of soldiers. The coroner is currently verifying his identity."

"very good."

After hearing this, Wang Jing finally put down a heavy stone in his heart: "It seems that it is time to return to Luoyang."

Xun You also stroked his beard and smiled: "That's right, although the rebellion has not been completely suppressed, it is the right time for you to return to Luoyang."

Henei County, Taishou Mansion.

As autumn turns to winter, the cold wind gradually rises, and braziers are lit indoors. The burning charcoal brings a touch of warmth.

There was a banquet going on in the mansion, and Xun Yu ordered the maid to bring wine and food to entertain the guests.

"With talent and filial piety, come and drink this cup to the full."

"Haha, if Governor Xun has given an order, how dare we disobey? Hahahaha~"

Guo Jia raised the wine cup, drank it all in one gulp, and then praised: "It is indeed a good wine, pure and sweet, and the taste is completely different from ordinary Huangliang wine. Even the effect of nourishing spiritual consciousness has been improved by several levels. It's a pity that I can't drink it anywhere else. What a pity."

Xi Zhicai took a sip, then smiled and looked at Guo Jia: "I heard that this wine is made by distillation. Currently, it is only sold in Luoyang Zuiyue Tower, and there is a daily limit. It is not easy to get it. If you really want to drink it, it's easy. Just join Qi Hou's army."

Guo Jia was a dissolute man and a heavy drinker. Xi Zhicai and Xun Yu both knew this and teased him about it.

Unexpectedly, Guo Jia took the wine cup and looked at it for a long time, and he took it seriously: "If there is such a fine wine to accompany me, it would not be a bad idea."

"Oh, Fengxiao, are you finally moved?"

"Brother Zhicai is also moved, why do you ask when you already know the answer?"

Both of them are wise men. After today's meeting, they naturally understand each other on many things and there is no need for further explanation.

As Guo Jia drank the unique-tasting Huangliang wine, he felt quite emotional. He thought about how he and Wang Jing first met when they were in obscurity. Although he had not yet left his master, he was also looking for a wise leader, just to show what he had learned and realize his ideals.

It's just that Wang Jing was wavering at the time and had no ambition or aspiration to dominate the world. In addition, Guo Jia's studies were not completed, so the two sides parted ways temporarily.

Now that Guo Jia has just completed his coming-of-age ceremony and has officially been appointed as a disciple, he can finally come out of seclusion to assist his wise master.

At this time, Wang Jing had already gained power in the court and became one of the most powerful princes in the world. He was so popular that Guo Jia was deeply moved.

But I haven't seen you for more than a year, and times have changed so fast.

Now Xun Yu has followed his family's wishes and is working for Wang Jing. Even Xi Zhicai favors the Northern Army and is optimistic about Wang Jing. Guo Jia is happy for his old friend.

During the banquet, Xun Yu raised his cup and said with emotion: "News came from Luoyang that Marquis Qi has returned to the capital, but Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin and others are still leading the army outside. It is said that they are recruiting refugees and plan to form a new army in addition to the Northern Army."

The news that Wang Jing was selecting elite troops to form the Shenwu Army was still top secret for the time being, but the creation of the palace soldiers was a massive undertaking that obviously could not be concealed from those with ulterior motives.

Hearing that Wang Jing had finally returned to Luoyang, Xi Zhicai nodded in approval: "Marquis Qi is the commander-in-chief of the three armies. If victory is certain, it is indeed the best strategy for him to stay in the center."

Guo Jia then followed suit and began to praise: "Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin, Wei Yan and others are all fierce warriors. If they lead the army to attack from all sides, they will surely be able to quickly suppress the rebels in various places and put down the civil unrest. Now that Marquis Qi is about to become powerful, there is no rival in the world. It's a pity that among the heroes, no one realizes that the crisis has arrived. They are still calculating on their own. They are really rotten wood that cannot be carved."

Xi Zhicai and Guo Jia each spoke a sentence, discussing the changing situation in the world.

Guo Jia showed an extraordinary mind and demeanor, with heroism and sharpness between his brows, looking more like a military general than a strategist.

Xun Yu couldn't help but tease him when he heard this: "Feng Xiao, didn't you think highly of Marquis Qi's move before? You also thought that this battle would be protracted, and that once the battle was lost, all the advantages that Marquis Qi had built up before would be gone. Why do you say now that he is sure to win?"

"Oh, Wen Ruo's words are really heartbreaking. Okay, I admit that I made a mistake in my previous judgment. I will drink three cups as a punishment, okay?"

After saying this, Guo Jia picked up the wine cup and happily began to "punish himself".

"You, you are worthy of the name of a genius. You can actually take advantage of us like this. I think you are deliberately admitting defeat and want to take the opportunity to drink a few more glasses of wine to get drunk, right?"

Xi Zhicai and Xun Yu were both helpless about Guo Jia's roguery. Guo Jia, Xun Yu and Xi Zhicai were close friends. The three of them had already made a judgment when Dong Zhuo entered the capital, predicting that the world would soon be in chaos, so they led their clansmen to live in seclusion in Hebei to avoid disaster.

As wise men with great ambitions, the three of them all longed to find a wise leader who could end the troubled times.

Because of his friendship with Wang Jing, Guo Jia obviously would not consider other princes. However, in order to collect intelligence, he still went to Bohai County to weigh Yuan Shao's quality.

Apart from Wang Jing, the prince that Guo Jia was most optimistic about was Yuan Shao. He believed that Yuan Shao was very likely to become Wang Jing's number one enemy, so he went to gather intelligence in advance.

Xun Yu naturally knew about this, and immediately poured Guo Jia a cup of drunkenness, then asked: "Have you met Yuan Benchu?"

Guo Jia nodded: "Yes."

Xi Zhicai was also very curious, and was also curious about Guo Jia's assessment of Yuan Shao: "How do you feel?"

Guo Jia raised his head and drank the clear and sweet wine in the cup. Then he sighed: "Alas, you are good at making plans but lack decision-making, you have great ambitions but little talent. Although you have the help of the noble family, you lack the courage and determination to do great things. After all, you are not a wise leader."

Xun Yu smiled and filled Guo Jia's glass again, jokingly saying, "Haha, it seems that Feng Xiao has made up his mind to come and seek refuge with Marquis Qi."

Guo Jia was also very shameless, and he actually took advantage of the situation and said, "Yes, I will ask Governor Xun to take me in in the future."

"You have mountains and rivers in your heart, but my pond is too small to accommodate a real dragon like you."

"Brother Zhicai, you saw that it was Wenruo who refused to take me in."

"You drink so much, his salary is not enough to support you. If I were you, I wouldn't take you in."

After saying that, the three of them burst into laughter at the same time.

The three of them were drinking and talking about world affairs. They were chatting enthusiastically when someone suddenly came to report to Xun Yu: "Governor, Yuan Shao's army has withdrawn from Henei."

"Yuan Shao has retreated!"

Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai were also shocked when they heard this, and then they felt even more that Wang Jing was a man with a destiny.

Xi Zhicai stroked his goatee and sighed, "I didn't expect Yan Liang to retreat so decisively."

Guo Jia's eyebrows flew up, his eyes were sharp: "Yuan Benchu ​​is greedy for small gains and forgets the overall situation. In fact, at this time, the most correct choice for him should be to do his best to capture Hanoi and repel Lu Bu at all costs, so as to break the myth of Qi Hou's invincibility, and then call on all heroes in the world to attack Luoyang together."

Xi Zhicai shook his head: "If Yuan Benchu ​​had such courage, he would not have stationed troops in Suanzao and stopped advancing when the eighteen princes were fighting against Dong. Now his goal is to swallow up Jizhou, so he naturally does not want to waste his strength to fight to the death with Qi Hou."

Even though the two brothers Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu had suffered consecutive defeats before, the strength of the Runan Yuan family was still there. As long as they could show some power on the battlefield, they could call for a second "Eighteen Princes to Fight for the King" and it was not without a chance of success.

It’s a pity that although Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu are brothers, they cannot be of one mind, let alone work together. Now, one in the south and the other in the north, they still think they can divide the world into two, but they don’t know that the sign of death has already arrived.

"Once the military system is implemented, the noble families will no longer be a concern. I also heard that Marquis Qi ordered Wang Ling and Duan Wei to implement military farming in Hedong County and Hongnong County respectively, and both have achieved remarkable results. In another three to five years, there will definitely be a well-trained army and sufficient food. By then, who in the Central Plains can compete with them?"

Although Guo Jia came from a poor family with an obscure family background, his vision and insight were unmatched by ordinary people.

He was a man of extraordinary talent and well-versed in history books. He knew very well that after the beginning of the troubled times, whoever controlled the food and elite troops would be able to control destiny and have the last laugh.

Otherwise, wouldn't someone as powerful as Overlord have been defeated by Emperor Gaozu?

The brothers Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu did not even have one tenth of the ability of Xiang Yu. How could they compete with Wang Jing relying solely on the protection of their family?
Whether it is Guo Jia, Xun Yu, or Xi Zhicai, they obviously do not look favorably upon the Yuan brothers.

Although the various princes nowadays seem to be famous, in fact most of them are not in Guo Jia's eyes. Why?
It is because these princes, even if they rule a certain area, mostly get their money and food from their aristocratic families or from plundering the people, which makes their situation very unstable.

Once encountering setbacks, it may immediately fall apart and be destroyed overnight.

Why did Guo Jia abandon Yuan Shao and join Cao Cao in history, and why was Cao Cao able to defeat the northern overlord Yuan Shao in one battle in the Battle of Guandu?

There are many reasons, but the most important one is that Cao Cao was the only one among the princes who vigorously promoted the policy of military farming.

After implementing the military farming policy, Cao Cao had enough food to stabilize the morale of his army and was not constrained by the aristocratic families. Even though most of the aristocratic families in the territory had already sided with Yuan Shao, Cao's army still had a stable supply of food, so they were able to hold out until the dawn of victory.

On the contrary, Yuan Shao fell into despair as soon as he was defeated, because he relied too much on the aristocratic families. When he was victorious, he could be invincible, but once he failed, he immediately ended up like monkeys scattering when the tree falls, and was quickly defeated.

Xun Yu and Guo Jia smiled at each other and said, "It seems that Feng Xiao has met the wise master of his dreams."

Guo Jia did not avoid Xun Yu's gaze and said frankly: "Marquis Qi and I have known each other for a long time. Now the Northern Army is thriving, dominating the capital, occupying Bingzhou in the north, and sitting on a strong army and brave generals. He is the one who is most likely to unify China."

"Ha~, it seems that we will not only be friends in the future, but also colleagues."

"Why, doesn't Wenruo welcome me and Brother Zhicai?"

"You are welcome, but we have to make a promise. If you want to get drunk, go ask the lord for it yourself. Don't come and destroy my treasures again."

"Ha ha ha ha……"

The three of them laughed again, and the atmosphere became even more lively.

There is nothing more gratifying in the world than having the same aspirations and being able to belong to the same camp and work together as comrades-in-arms in the future.

"Drink this cup to the full for a better future!"

"Of course."

Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin, Yan Xing and Wei Yan, each led their own troops to suppress the four directions.

Wherever they went, they first defeated the main force of the rebels, then quickly launched the work of clearing the fields, confiscated the rebels' land, and then established military offices and converted the government soldiers.

Relying on such a smooth operation, the government soldier system was quickly established, allowing Wang Jing's control to officially extend to the county level. It also successfully transformed the contradiction between the Northern Army and the aristocratic families into a contradiction between the government soldiers and the aristocratic families, allowing him to extricate himself from the quagmire of security battles.

Most of the government soldiers were local refugees and poor people. Once they obtained land, they would never give it up and would fight with anyone for it.

The Northern Army gained a broad mass base due to the existence of the government soldiers, and continued to win military victories in the battles to suppress the rebellion. Its authority became increasingly consolidated and no one could shake it.

Luoyang, General Wei’s Mansion.

Xun You took the battle reports sent back from various places, sorted them out, and then congratulated Wang Jing: "My lord, the wars in various places have basically ended. Although there are still some scattered remnants that have not been completely wiped out, they can no longer cause any waves."

"In this case, the Northern Army can return to the capital. Remember to prepare a grand celebration banquet to show the might of our army."

"After so many battles, we really need a celebration banquet to boost the morale of the troops and show the might of our army to others."

Even Xun You himself was surprised that the rebellion could be quelled so quickly.

"My lord, the policy of land transfer should continue to be implemented, but it is not appropriate to expand the scope of the crackdown, and we must not deliberately incite hatred and confrontation."

What Xun You was talking about were naturally the military headquarters in various counties and prefectures, because the soldiers in the headquarters came from the lower class of the people and they especially hated the aristocratic families. Even if they did not hate them, for their own interests, they would take advantage of Wang Jing's support behind them and take the initiative to cause trouble for the local aristocratic families.

If this kind of thing is not stopped, the situation will easily get out of control and even turn into a second Yellow Turban Rebellion.

Wang Jing also knew the seriousness of the matter: "Gongda is right to remind you, this is indeed inappropriate. I will order the soldiers to restrain themselves and prevent the conflict from escalating."

Although he won consecutive victories, Wang Jing did not get carried away.

He knew very well that the purpose of launching a civil war was to strike at the diehards in the aristocratic families, seize land, population, money and food, and then promote his own industrial reforms.

However, if we want to develop productivity, we need a stable social environment, so the struggle cannot be escalated to avoid getting out of control.

Now that the goal of the war has been achieved, the next thing to consider should not be killing and destruction, but the rapid establishment of a new social order to stabilize the situation again.

(End of this chapter)